Heating system



Patented Apr. 2, 1940 TENT FF'ICE HEATING SYSTEM Karl F. Hartmann, SanFrancisco, Calif., assignor of one-half to Francisco, Calif.

Morgan J. Doyle, San

Application January 14, 1938, Serial No. 185,020

2 Claims.

This invention relates to heating. systems such as are employed inapartment houses, ofiice buildings, large houses and the like where unitradiators distribute heat in the various rooms or apartments and it isdesired to control the flow of heatvehicle to any particular unit inaccordance with the need therefor.

It is the principal objector this invention to provide an improvedheating system of this char-- acter and this and various other relatedobjects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference tothe following specification and accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically and fragmentarily a building providedwith a heating system accordingto my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational section through one end of the valve controland operating unit of the system.

In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, abuilding 2,having a plurality of segregated spaces 4, such as apartments or rooms,to be heated, and a service space 6, such as a basement, or the like, isserved by various utili- 25 ties such as a gas main 8 providing a sourceof fluid under continuous and substantially uniform pressure, and awater main not shown.

Spaces 4 are individually provided with radiators Ill through which aheat-vehicle such as water may move due to thermal or mechanical pumpingaction in a manner well known in the art from and to a heater I2, viarisers l4 and returns I6 respectively. Means are provided for supplyingfuel to the heater which may consist of a gas burner I8 connected to thegas main 8. In order to prevent the flow of heat into a space 4, eitherwhen the space is not in use or the temperature is above that needed, avalve 2!! is placed between each radiator unit and the 40 heatingvehicle riser I 4. In buildings where quiet should prevail it isnecessary not only that the valve 2!) seat positively against flowtherethrough, but also that the valve closing operation occur at a lowspeed so that very little kinetic energy be available to produce avibration throughout the system upon seating of the valve. This slowmovement to closed position is accomplished in the embodiment shown inthe drawings by means of a valve motor driven by the availableilluminating gas under pressure.

The gas is conveyed to the various valves by means of conduits 22, andthat gas which is ex* pended in the operation of the valves is vented byducts 23 to a safe point such as at 24 in the heater fire box.

The valve, valve motor, .and motive pressure control thereof is moreclearly illustrated in Fig. 2 in which there is shown the valve body 26interposed in line 21 connecting the radiator and the riser l4. Amovable valve element 29 is adapted to close the port 30 in said valvebody and is reciprocable by a fluid pressure responsive motor,,comprising, as here shown, a diaphragm 32 sealed between two chamberforming members 34 and. 36, to divide the resulting chamber intocomplemental pressure chambers 38 and 4D, and secured to said valveelement 29 by a plunger 42, passing through suitable glands 44 and 46,as illustrated.

Means are provided for controlling thev admission of gas from line 22 toactuate the diaphragm in either direction and as here illustrated thesame takes the form of a slide valve 4| having gas line 22 connected toa chamber 5 thereof at port 50. A set of ports 52 and 54 are,respectively, connected with the pressure chambers 38 and 4!]. A set ofports 56 and 58 provide vent ports which are connected to the safetyvent 23. Reciprocably and nonrotatably mounted'in chamber 5, is aplunger Bll'held in position to connect main 22 with chamber 38 and toeffect release of gas I from chamber 49 through ports 54 and 58 via duct62, by a spring 64. In the position shown gas pressure acts topositively hold the water valve 28 closed. As will be observed, thewater valve 28 is normally held closed by the gas main pressure. Inorder to open the valve 29, plunger 98 is forced against the action ofspring 64, to permit communication between chamber 38 and vent 23 viaports 52 and and to connect main 22 directly to chamber 40. Gas enteringchamber 40 slowly but positively forces diaphragm 32 upwardly and opensvalve 29.

Means are provided to actuate plunger 60 comprising an electromagnet 66having an armature 68 disposed to engage connector rod 10 disposedthrough closure nut and gland l2 on valve 48. The electromagnet 86 isenergized from any suitable source of current under control of a switch14 which may be of the manual or thermostatic variety. Quite evidently,energization of the electromagnet actuates valve 48 to a position toadmit gas beneath the diaphragm and open valve 29 so as to permit thehot water in riser I4 to enter the radiator.

If the switch M is of the thermostatic type set to open at desired roomtemperature, such as 68 F., the opening thereof permits spring 64 toactuate plunger 60 to water valve closing position as heretoforeexplained.

While gas pressure, as of ordinary illuminating gas mains, is the mediumdescribed as furnishing the energy to actuate diaphragm 32, it isrecognized that water from the water mains may be used as well andvented to any suitable drain. Of course, since water main unit pressuresare many times in excess of domestic gas pressures, the size of motormay be decreased accordingly. However it is desirable that the ports 52and 54 be of such a small size with reference to the volume of chambers38 and 40, that the rate of movement of the valve 29 is slow enough toprevent any appreciable impact.

Having described my invention, I claim:

I. In a device for use in a building having a fluid heating systemcomprising unit radiators, a source of continuously uniform fluid fuelpressure and a fuel burner connected to said fuel source positioned toheat the fluid in the heating system; valves associated with eachradiator unit for controlling the flow of fluid of said heating systemto said unit radiators, means driven by fluid from said fuel pressuresource for operating the valves from open to closed position and viceversa, means for discharging the fluid expended on said driven means,and means for controlling the flow of the fluid to said driven means andfor controlling the discharge of fluid from said driven means.

2. In a device as in claim 1, means for conducting the fluid dischargedfrom said driven means to said fuel burner for burning.

KARL F. HARTMANN.

